BMW's always said they'd never build a front-wheel-drive car or platform prostitute a BMW off the MINI platform. Now, according to Car Magazine, BMW's apparently reversed themselves on both, greenlighting a MINI-derived "0-Series" lineup that'll go on sale in 2013.

What we know so far is this new "0-Series," dubbed UKL1, for Untere Kompaktklasse (lower compact class), is designed to go head-to-head with the new Audi A1 and the Mercedes A-Class and be based oin the third-generation MINI. The "0-Series" will supposedly come in three different body styles: a three-door hatch, five-door hatch and a two-seat roadster.

Under the hood will be brand-spankin' new three- and four-cylinder engined and may even be built in Oxford on the same assembly lines as the MINI.

We'd like to show you more, but Car doesn't have the story up online. Pity. It's a good read.